The tense package of EU sanctions against the stalemate continues Russia. The knot to be untied, where the interests of Rome (supported by Berlin) and Warsaw are at odds, concerns the meaning of synthetic rubber. The entire provision, announced Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during her visit Kyiv from early February, should have come into force by the anniversary of the conflict Ukraine. For now, however, the impasse seems to be ongoing, pushing the Swedish Presidency of the EU to suspend another meeting of the 27’s permanent representatives, which will convene today, February 24, to reach an agreement and approve the package of sanctions. The European Commission has proposed to set a quota limit for imports of synthetic rubber a 560 thousand Tons, but the compromise did not satisfy Warsaw, which “presented a compromise proposal” on the night of February 23-24, providing for “reasonable transitional periods and a mechanism for reducing the quota on a monthly basis”. The Permanent Representative of Poland explained the initiative, Andrzej Sadoshoping for positive feedback from “the two Member States (Italy And Germany, ed) who want to import these products from Russia». In this context, however, Rome does not seem to want to dissolve the reservations. The doubts, explained various diplomatic sources, mainly concern the likely negative impact of the embargo on prices and on the internal and external competitiveness of the EU. And at the same time the uncertainty about the impact of the measure on the Russian economy. The idea of starting the written procedure today, February 24, is still there, but with the necessary unanimous agreement CoreperThere is less and less optimism and Poland’s demands for synthetic rubber are seen as the result of Poland’s overly rigid stance Warsaw.
Cover picture: ANSA/OLIVIER HOSLET | The Committee of Permanent Representatives of the Governments of the Member States to the European Union (Coreper)
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